Pesto is a generic Italian name for any sauce made by pounding ingredients together.

The…

Method

Heat the oil in a large, heavy pan. Add the onion, gently fry for 5 mins until softened, add the chicken, then fry until lightly coloured. Add the potatoes, stock and plenty of freshly ground black pepper, then bring to the boil. Cover, then simmer for 30 mins until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked. Can be frozen at this point.

Add the broccoli, spring greens, petit pois and spring onions, stir well, then return to the boil. Cover, then cook for 5 mins more, stir in the pesto and heat through.

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Comments, questions and tips

Way too much veg if you go by the recipe and the stock won't cover it. Had to use more stock, cooks ok but is bland and watery. Non of the family liked it - apart from the dogs and chickens!

Corinne_s13

8th Feb, 2017

2.55

For a "healthy" dish it was swimming in fat... probably too much pesto

Twinklebum99

25th Jan, 2017

3.8

I used drumsticks as that's what I had and added green beans and spinach rather than greens. Overall really tasty and will make again

rachel_k

9th Sep, 2016

Boyfriend and I really enjoyed this. Stuck to the recipe exactly (except for the substitution of kale for the spring greens - couldn't find them anywhere) and it was very flavoursome and surprisingly very filling! I wish I'd heeded the comments and used a bigger pot though.

lizleicester

10th May, 2016

2.55

Nice, but rather dull even with all the veg added. I used chicken breasts instead of thighs but otherwise followed the recipe and don't think I'll do it again despite it being so healthy.

katycooks

18th Apr, 2016

3.8

Okay, the second time around, I used Kale instead of broccoli and I added broad beans. I added the potatoes earlier (so they cooked for longer) and could be sort of mashed into the broth. My "tablespoons" of pesto were extremely generous too. Overall, I cooked the whole thing for longer to reduce the "liquor" (but put the broad beans, petit pois and spring onions in at the very last minute.) And it was delicious. (Though not exactly stunning to look at!)

CailinLondon

13th Mar, 2016

1.3

It's an ok recipe, but it just tasted quite salty, although I didn't add any salt. I don't plan on doing it again, as if I wanted chicken and veg I would prefer to roast everything in the oven.

catie74

7th Jan, 2016

I adapt this for winter, using kale instead of spring green, Brussels sprouts and celery and well as frozen petit pois, broccoli and chicken stock instead of vegetable. Still perfect for a much needed nutrient dense health boost after Christmas

Jess94

23rd Sep, 2015

0.05

Made this tonight was really bland. Had to add more stock in order to cook the veg,and couldn't taste the pesto. My kids wouldn't eat it.

niamhmce

21st Jul, 2015

5.05

Oh my goodness I absolutely LOVE this recipe! Love it! The flavours are beautiful for spring/summer and it's such a simple and quick dish to make too. I tweaked it a bit to meet personal preference by using leek instead of spring greens and using celery and courgette instead of peas.The consistency was also a little watery for my taste so I thickened it slightly by adding 1-2 tsp of buckwheat flour. All people I made this for loved it and will definitely become a regular dish of mine!

Pages

Would this work in a slow cooker? Just add the veg in with it all and slow cook?

goodfoodteam

5th Jul, 2017

Thanks for your question. Yes you can cook this in a slow cooker. For tips on how to adapt the recipe, take a look at the following feature:
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/10-top-tips-using-slow-cooker
We'd suggest adding the second batch of vegetables in the last 30 mins of cooking. Be aware that broccoli tends to discolour a little when it's cooked with a lid on but you will still need to use your lid.

ayaystar

30th Sep, 2016

Anyone add bacon to this recipe?

abarnybox

28th Oct, 2013

Do you think I could just leave out the chicken? or maybe swap it for something else? my girlfriend is vegetarian and i've tried fake chicken and it's not the best of stuff :P

goodfoodteam

28th May, 2014

Hi there. Why not try swapping the chicken for some sliced large flat mushrooms and chunkly slices of courgette too? Enjoy.

morriliz

15th May, 2014

You could try replacing the chicken with some extra potatoes??

Be the first to suggest a tip for this recipe...Got your own twist on this recipe? Or do you have suggestions for possible swaps and additions? We’d love to hear your ideas.

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